Titanic

Follows the lives of the ship's passengers, from all walks of life, as they travel on the maiden voyage of the ill-fated Titanic. From the wealthy family of the Earl of Manton, the designers of the ship, to the stokers in the engine room - who will make it onto the lifeboats?

Seasons:

Episodes:

1Episode #1.1

Hugh,the earl of Manton,and his snobbish wife Louisa set sail on the 'Titanic' for New York,where Hugh has business. Their daughter Georgiana, a fervent suffragette just released from jail,accompanies them. On the train to Southampton the trio meet Hugh's lawyer Irishman John Batley and his vocal wife Muriel,who despises her husband's subservience to the aristocracy,as well as the aristocracy itself, and a tea party on board the 'Titanic'ends in an argument between the two wives. Barnes,the earl's valet,and Mabel Watson,Louisa's maid,are served dinner with the servants of other first class passengers by stewardess Annie Desmond and Barnes upsets Mabel by tearing a book of Aesop's fables given her by her father when she was a child. Georgiana befriends Harry Widener,scion of a wealthy Philadelphia family, and the two witness the over-protective attitude to her baby charge by Alice Cleaver,nanny to the Allison family.Louisa's aloofness extends to condemning film actress Dorothy Gibson and Madame Aubart,mistress of married millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim as well as insulting Grace and Joseph Rushton,a couple who have made their wealth through trade. When the ship hits an ice berg and Louisa declares herself 'lucky' to have rescued her jewels Muriel launches a verbal attack on her and her patronising ways. Hugh,however,is more concerned that Second Officer Lightoller is lowering lifeboats which are not full because he is filling them with women and children only whilst Alice leaves the Allisons and their little girl to get in a boat with the baby. Harry succeeds in putting Georgiana in a lifeboat but Louisa refuses to leave her husband and save herself.

2Episode #1.2

The ship's architect Thomas Andrews is dismayed when his uncle,Lord Pirrie,Harland and Wolff chairman, and White Star president Ismay fail to respond to his view that there are insufficient lifeboats on board. He also gives steerage passage to Catholic engineer Jim Maloney in return for work done on the ship so that Jim can escape sectarian prejudice and take his wife Mayr and their four children to America. Following sea trials Captain Smith dismisses second officer Blair,who accidentally takes the key to the ship's binoculars with him. Following incidents of anarchy in the Balkans Ismay is wary of foreign workers,such as Italian stoker Mario Sandrini and his waiter brother Paolo,who is attracted to Annie Desmond whilst Jim befriends mysterious Latvian Peter Lubov. Muriel Batley once more berates her husband for condemning her to a boring life in England and his servility to Manton,letting slip that she knows Georgiana is not Louisa's daughter but the result of an illicit affair. When she upbraids the countess whilst waiting for the lifeboats she tells her that she knows this secret. After the ship hits the ice-berg Smith seems to break down and Lightoller takes charge of evacuation. Accepting that they may perish the Batleys reconcile,declaring their love for each other and determine to 'go down fighting.'

3Episode #1.3

Stoker Mario Sandrini gets younger brother Paolo a job on the ship as a waiter and Paolo is soon smitten with stewardess Annie,asking her to stay in America with him. Mary is smitten with Lubov,allowing him to kiss her before an angry Jim sees and punches him. Barnes is shocked that Mabel,needing money for her sick father,has stolen a brooch from Louisa and attempted to frame Lubov. After the ship hits the ice berg there is an early view that it is safer to stay on board so that the likes of Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his wife and secretary escape in a half-full lifeboat. But as desperate reality sinks in steerage passengers are denied access to the boats causing Jim and Lubov to overcome the stewards and lead families to safety. The Maloneys encounter Mr and Mrs Allison and their little girl,separated from nanny Alice and their baby and loth to leave until they find them. Ex-soldier David Evans recognizes fellow passenger Lubov as the escaped murderer Peter the Painter and is knocked unconscious and left in a flooding corridor. Mario and the Italian waiters are also locked in their quarters by Ismay "so as not to alarm the ladies" with their panic and Paolo's efforts to save his brother look to be in vain.

4Episode #1.4

First Officer Murdoch's view that the ship is moving too fast is proved right when,with no binoculars to see ahead,it hits an ice berg. Mabel is accidentally locked in a cabin but rescued by Ken Barnes to gives her a copy of his will,leaving her his house. Jim's eldest girl Theresa runs back into the ship and he searches for her with Lubov. Lubov frees Mario before disappearing as father and daughter await their fates. Louisa,aware that Hugh has another illegitimate child,agrees to get away in order to look after her and Georgiana. Guggenheim and valet Giglio dress in their best to bravely await death and Astor bids his young wife farewell. Jack Thayer,unlike Harry,eventually makes it whilst Ismay makes his escape - for which he will always be pilloried. But despite the gallant efforts of Fifth Officer Lowe,in command of the only boat to return to pick up survivors from the water,over a thousand of the voyagers are lost.